Huanglong Nature Reserve黄龙景区

About this place

Local legend claims this area is the manifestation of a yellow dragon after its victory over a demon. In fact, Huanglong got its color from the terraced land, where water, containing rich Calcium Carbonate, flows down from the higher part of the mountain. After millions of years of geographical sedimentation and natural oxidation, various types of sedimentary rocks are formed under the water, and from afar, looks like a yellow dragon lying in water. Hence, its name “Huanglong – Yellow Dragon”.Huanglong, a smaller, isolated version of Jiuzhaigou, is famed for its mountainous landscapes, colorful pools of limestone formations, diverse forest ecosystems, as well as waterf alls and hot springs. The Huanglong area also has a population of endangered animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.Unlike Jiuzhaigou, the Huanglong valley is filled with fascinating limestone formations formed by the water that constantly flows from the melting snow of the surrounding mountains. Xuebaoding, the main peak of the snow-capped Minshan, rising 5,588m above sea level, is covered in snow all year-round. As the attitude here is high (at around 4,000 meters), we will take a cable car and take short walks around the park to conserve energy.